Peroxyacids (herein "peracids") are a well-known class of organic compounds that can be prepared, for example, by the action of hydrogen peroxide on organic acids in the presence of an acid catalyst. See ORGANIC PEROXIDES. E. G. E. Hawkins, D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc. (1961). Peracids have a variety of industrial uses, for example, as catalysts and as oxidizing agents.
Peracids also find use as cleaners and laundry bleaches. As such, the formulator typically prepares a relatively stable compound (a so-called "bleach activator") which decomposes in water in the presence of inorganic percarbonate or perborate to form the peracid in situ in a laundry liquor. See, generally, British No. 864 768; Canadian No. 635 620; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,100,095; 4,119,660; 4,126,573; 4,412,934 and EPO published applications 0 068 547, 83 303 675.9. See especially U.K. No. 1 382 594 for Quat-Activators.
As can be seen from the extensive literature, there is a continuing search for new, more effective peracids and bleach activators. One major problem with some activators (or their degradation products, in-use) is poor odor quality. Another problem is that some activators are either rather complicated structures, or are made from rather expensive raw materials; in either event, many art-disclosed materials have remained laboratory curiosities rather than visible commercial items.
The present invention provides peracids and bleach activators which are readily prepared from inexpensive raw materials, and which do not suffer form the problems associated with many art-disclosed bleaching agents.